Game board and game pieces positionable upon the board in a limited number of positions

ABSTRACT

A game board has a pattern of locations of significant character, such as pegs, and game pieces have locations of significant character, such as openings to receive the pegs. The pieces are arranged so that they can be laid on the board on the pegs, with the game objective for the first player to position a plurality of pieces in adjoining relationship from one side of the board to the other. Another player has the same objective, with different pieces and different sides of the board. Pegs and pieces are arranged so that the pieces can be positioned on top of other pieces, such as three high on the pegs.

[451 Apr. 16, 1974 GAME BOARD AND GAME PIECES POsITIONABLE UPON THE BOARD IN A LIMITED NUMBER OF POSITIONS [76] Inventor: Stephen A. Ryan, 1736 Sherman PI.,

No. 3, Long Beach, Calif. 90804 22 Filed: Nov. 24, 1972 21 Appl. No.: 308,983

[52] US. Cl. 273/130 R, 273/136 E, 273/137 AD [51] Int. Cl. A63f 3/00 [58]- Field of Search 273/130 R, 130 AC, 130 B, 273/130 F, 131 BA, 131 D, 131 G, 134 G,

134 GA, 134 GM, 136 C, 136 E, 136 F, 137

AD, 135 R, 135 F, 135 AA, 135 AC, 153 R,

3,674,274 7/1972 Schur 273/135 AC FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 490,302 8/1938 Great Britain 273/157 R 583,178 8/1933 Germany 273/131 BA Primary Examiner-Richard C. Pinkham Assistant Examiner-Harry G. Strappello Attorney, Agent, or FirmAllen A, Dicke, Jr.

[5 7] ABSTRACT A game board has a pattern of locations of significant character, such as pegs, and game pieces have 1ocations of significant character, such as openings to re ceive the pegs. The pieces are arranged so that they can be laid on the board on the pegs, with the game objective for the first player to position a plurality of pieces in adjoining relationship from one side of the board to the other. Another player has the same objective, with different pieces and different sides of the board. Pegs and pieces are arranged so that the pieces can be positioned on top of other pieces, such as three high on the pegs.

8 Claims, 12 Drawing Figures PATENTEDAPR 16 i974 SHEHIBFZ" O O O O 0 OD O O OO O O 0O 00 O O O0 O0 GAME BOARD AND GAME PIECES POSITIONABLE UPON THE BOARD IN A LIMITED NUMBER OF POSITIONS BACKGROUND This invention is directed to a game, and particularly a board game having pieces which are positionable on the board in a limited number of positions.

The many different types of games on the market include those which have boards on which pieces can be positioned. The presently available board games are usually simplistic and employ a strong element of chance to make them useable.

With the exception of chess and its forebears and descendants, there are few board games which require the exercise of judgment, imagination, and skillful planning ahead for the achievement of success in the game. Thus, there is great need for a board game which is capable of such exercise, but requires a different kind of judgment and experience than do games of that type.

SUMMARY In order to aid in the understanding of this invention, it can be stated in essentially summary form that it is directed to a game, andparticularly a board game. The board has an arrangement of locations of significant character, and a plurality of different kinds of pieces are provided, each having corresponding locations of significant character so that the pieces are positionable upon the board in a limited number of selectable positions. A plurality of different types of pieces is provided so each can be employed on the locations of significant character in different ways.

Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide a game which employs skill, experience, and imagination so that it is challenging to the game player, but

provides a different sort of challenge and requires a different kind of experience than does games presently on the market. It is a further object to provide a board game which has a plurality of locations of significant character arranged in a particular pattern on a board, and has a plurality of game pieces, each having locations of significant character to match those locations on the board. It is a further object to provide a game which has a plurality of different kinds of game pieces, each having locations of significant character for matching upon the board.

It is another object to provide a game where it is the game objective for a first player to lay a continuous abutting string of game pieces across the board in one BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a plan view of a game board, in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the game of this invention.

FIG. 2 is a side-elevational view thereof.

FIG. 3 is an isometric view of a first type of game piece which forms a part of the game of this invention.

FIG. 4 is an isometric view of a second type of game piece.

FIG. 5 is an isometric view of a third type of game piece.

FIG. 6 is an isometric view of a fourth type of game piece.

FIG. 7 is an isometric view, with parts broken away, showing a portion of the game board of this invention with some of the game pieces located thereon, with the locations of significant character matching.

FIG. 8 is an isometric view, with parts broken away, of another embodiment of a game board, in accordance with this invention.

FIG. 9 is an isometric view of a game piece corresponding to the piece of FIG. 6 for employment with the embodiment of board illustrated in FIG. 8.

FIG. 10 is an enlarged section taken generally along the line 10-10 of FIG. 9.

FIG. 1 1 is another embodiment of game board having locations of significant character for employment with the game of this invention.

FIG. 12 is an isometric view of a game piece corresponding to the piece of FIG. 3 for use with the species of game board illustrated in FIG. 11.

DESCRIPTION The game of this invention is comprised of a board and a plurality of playing pieces therefor. The preferred embodiment of the game is generally indicated at 10 wherein FIGS. 1, 2,-and 7 illustrate the preferred embodiment of board 12. FIGS. 3, 4, 5", and 6 illustrate the preferred embodiment of the game pieces 14, 16, 18, and 20 for use in the preferred embodiment at 10 of the game.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, board 12 is preferably a square board, as illustrated in FIG. 1, and preferably has a flat top surface 22 which is the prime playing surface of the board. The prime playing surface has locations of significant character thereon. In the preferred embodiment, these locations of significant character are upstanding pegs or posts 24. [For convenience in construction, they are of circular cross section, as illustrated. Thus, they are upstanding solid cylinders extending upward from the flat top surface 22. There are a number of different ways in which the board 12 can be constructed, and the manufacturing process can suggest particular configurations of the post cross section. For example, when the board is made of solid flat stock, such as plywood, holescan be drilled therein and dowels inserted. In that case, the posts are conveniently solid cylinders. In the case of an injection-molded board, the upstanding post can be square, if desired. Such is also the case where the posts are not tall and the board is vacuum-formed. The preferred manufacturing method is injection molding, where the volume is sufficiently high to warrant the mold cost. Posts 24 are arranged in a plurality of columns and rows on the board, each a unit in each direction. First and second columns 26 and 28 and first and second rows 30 and 32 are shown in FIG. 1. The column and row units define a unit square with posts in the center of selected unit squares. The rows and columns can be optionally delineated by indicia lines, such as lines 34 and 36. Such lines permit ready identification of particular unit squares, so the game can be played by mail, and the like. It is critical to the game that approximately twothirds of the unit squares have locations of significant character thereon, in this case, the posts 24. Furthermore, it is important that most posts be arranged so that there are two in line, either in a row or column, adjoined by a single unit square without a post, hereinafter called a vacant square. Furthermore, this arrangement of two posts and one vacant square should be arranged in substantially orderly fashion over the area of the board. Since the unit squares are arranged in square fashion, diagonals automatically result therefrom, and the employment of these diagonals for determining whether or not the unit square should have a post or be vacant is a convenient way to achieve the proper arrange. The diagonals form hollow squares diagonally arranged on the board. Diagonal squares 38, 41, 42, and 44 contain unit squares therealong which have posts, while the diagonal squares 40 and 43 are diagonal squares in which the unit squares therealong are vacant. Thus, a plurality of concentric squares of different sizes are formed. The larger diagonal squares extend off the board, so their corners are missing.

A convenient size of board is one of rows and columns of unit squares, as indicated in FIG. 1. A fewer number of such rows and columns leads to a game which is played with less time and planning complexity,

'while a greater number of rows and columns of unit squares leads to a game which takes more time, without a corresponding increase in the complexity or planning required for play.

Going to the pieces for play with the game 10, the preferred embodiment of the pieces 14 through for use with the preferred embodiment of the game board 12 is indicated in FIGS. 3 through 6. The piece of FIG. 3 is substantially three unit squares long and one unit square wide. The piece could be exactly of unit square dimensions but, since adjacent pieces will lie on adjacent unit squares on the board, for the convenience of placement and removal of the pieces from position, they are slightly less the unit square so that the pieces are in loose-fit relationship to each other when they lie in adjacent positions on the game board. Thus, the width of the piece can be from H100 to l/lO inch less than the unit square dimension, while the length of the piece 14 can be from 1/100 to 1/10 inch less than three unit squares long. 1

Piece 14 has holes 46 and 48 therethrough. These holes are slightly larger in diameter than the posts 24 and correspond in position to the locations of significant character. Hole 48 is substantially in the center of piece 14' to put it in the center of the center unit square thereof, while hole 46 is in the center of one of the end unit squares. Piece 48 is imperforate in the unit square at the other end thereof. Thus, piece 14 is suitable to lay over the posts 24 at a location where there are two posts in line in one of the rows or columns adjacent the location where there is no post. Such a situation is found in the left column and top three rows, as well as the top row and left three columns. Furthermore, piece 14 is shown in play in such a circumstance in FIG. 7.

The physical characteristics of the piece 14 are preferably such that it has longitudinal flanges 50 and 52 to define the width and end flanges 54 and 56 to define the length of the piece. These flanges have a width to determine the thickness of piece 14 to be substantially one-third the height of post 24 above the prime playing surface 22. The flanges are joined with a central web 58, which is preferably halfway between the flange edges so that both sides of the piece are of the same appearance. Holes 46 and 48 are formed in the web. The

flanges extending from the web make it convenient to manually pick up the piece. 0

FIG. 4 illustrates piece 16. Piece 16 is formed with flanges and webs and is of the same general size as the piece 14. However, in piece 16, its holes 60 and 62 are formed at the centers of the end unit squares of the piece. The center square of the piece is imperforate.

Thus, the piece 16 is used to place on posts which are spaced apart by a vacant unit square, such as the second, third, and fourth unit squares down the first column in FIG. 1.

The pieces 18 and 20 are each identical, as far as their external configuration is concerned. Each is L- shaped and is two unit squares long along the staff of the -L and two unit squares long along the foot of the L, with the center unit squares being the same. Thus, it occupies a three-unit square area in an L-shape. Thus, each of the pieces 18 and 20 also occupy substantially three unit squares in an L-shaped configuration. The length along the staff of the L is between I 100 to l 10 inch less than two unit squares, and the foot is the same length. The structure is formed in the same manner as described with respect to the piece 15, with flanges around all edges and a web through the center. Holes 64 and 66 are formed through the web and, in the case of piece 18, they are in the center unit square and one of the end unit squares.

FIG. 6 illustrates piece 20 as being the same as piece 18, except for the positioning of its holes. Piece 20 has its holes 68 and 70 positioned in the end unit squares. Each of the pieces can be turned over for play on the board. Thus, the top and bottom sides of the pieces are identical. I-Iowever,.when pieces 14 and 18 are turned over, the hole pattern can be employed in a different way.

In order to fully understand the utility of game 10, the objective, rules, and method of play will be summarized. With a game board of the size described, each player is provided with 40 playing pieces, 10 of each of such shown in FIGS. 3, 4, 5, and 6. There are two players, and the pieces belonging to each player are identifiable with him, as by color. One player sits at one edge of the board, for example south in FIG. 1, and his object is to place pieces adjacent each other so that they are in substantial abutment by at least one unit square so that they extend from the south edge of the board to the north edge of the board. His opponent sits at the side of the board, as at east, and his objective is to place his pieces in abutment by at least one unit square from the east edge of the board to the west edge of the board. The players move alternately by placing one piece on the board at a time. Each player may begin at any point on the board. Once a player places a piece on the board, he controls those pegs upon which he has placed his piece for the entire game. Even though the pegs are three times as high as the pieces, his opponent cannot occupy the pegs over the top of one of his pieces. Each piece must always control two pegs. Thus, pegs act as a permanent barrier to the opponent, once a piece is placed thereon. A player may never use an opponents pegs.

A player can build on his own pieces, whether he already has a piece on those pegs, or over vacant unit squares. However, he can build over his opponent's pieces only over vacant unit squares, because his opponent controls the pegs upon which he has first placed pieces. Thus, it becomes an object to complete a bridge to gain his objective in reaching the other side of the board and to block his opponents bridge. In building a bridge, the building must always be done on a flat surface. This means that the lowermost piece in a bridge must lie on the prime playing surface, and there cannot be open areas under a piece. Furthermore, in building a bridge, a piece cannot be placed directly on top of the same type of piece. A foundation for a bridge must be built so that pieces of different types must be used on successive levels as the bridge is built.

Once a piece is placed on the board, it cannot be moved or replaced during the game. A winning chain does not have to be visible. A bridge does not knock out an opponents chain. The player under the bridge can still win, even though his complete chain is not showing. Thus, the buildup is accomplished and, through the strategy of placement of pieces, one of the players can win by first accomplishing a continuous chain of abutting pieces from side to side of the board.

It is clear from the above description that posts are not needed as the locations of significant character. They are desirable and are located on .the preferred embodiment of the game playing board, because the height of the pegs controls the fact that the limit of buildup is three playing pieces. However, other physical arrangements can be used.

In FIG. 8, another embodiment of the game has a game board 72. The game board 72 has aflat top prime playing surface 74 and shallow recesses 76 extending down below the flat top surface. These recesses 76 are arranged in the same unit squares as the posts 24. The pieces employed in playing the game are of the same four kinds illustrated in FIGS. 3 through 6. However, the pieces are adapted for employment with the recesses 76, rather than the posts 24. Piece 78 in FIG. 9 corresponds in use to piece 20 in FIG. 6. It has two projections 80 on the bottom, see FIG. 10, for insertion into selected recesses 76 on the board. Thus, it can be placed employing. the same limitations of placement as in the preferred embodiment of the game. In order to provide for a plurality of levels or stacking of pieces in the game, piece 78 has recesses 82 and 84 in the top thereof. Thus, the recesses 76 are the locations of significant character on the board 72, and the pieces have bottom projections 80 to cooperate with them. Furthermore, the top recesses 82 and 84 continue the identification of the locations of significant character to receive projections from upper level pieces so that a plurality of levels can be built. The same rules apply to the. games played with the board 72 and the board pieces corresponding in structure to the piece 78.

Yet another embodiment of the game of this invention is possible. FIG. 11 illustrates a game board 86 which has a flat top 88 for the play of pieces thereon. Game board 86 has locations of significant character in the form of color spots 90 thereon. The color spots 90 could be of some other significant visual identification 6 catching ability. Again, the locations of significant character are arranged in orderly fashion, the same arrangement as posts 24.

Piece 92 is illustrative of one of the four different kinds of pieces which are employed to play the game with the board 86. Piece 92 corresponds to piece 14 in character and use. The other three pieces for play of the game on board 86 are of the same function as the pieces 16, 18, and 20, and are constructed similarly to piece 92. Piece 92 is preferably made ofa transparent material, such as clear plastic. It has its corresponding locations of significant character in form of color spots 94 and 96 thereon. Thus, the pieces corresponding to piece 92 are played by aligning the color spot on a piece over the color spot on the board, so that the locations of significant character are lined up. The same rules for play apply. It is clear that the game employing game board 86 and pieces corresponding to piece 92 is the most economic to produce, but it is not the most convenient to play, because of the difficulty of pieces sliding on the board. Therefore, it is preferred that the locations of significant character be physical locations which interlock the board and pieces, rather than mere color spots within adequate physical significance to perform the interlocking function.

This game having been described in its preferred embodiment and additional embodiments illustrated, it is clear that the game is susceptible to numerous modifications and embodiments within the ability of those skilled in the art and without the exercise of the inventive faculty. Accordingly, the scope of this invention is defined by the scope of the following claims.

What is claimed is: l. A game comprising: a board and a plurality of playing pieces for use with said board;

said board having a prime playing surface and first and third opposite edge zones, with the direction between said first and third opposite edge zones being designatable as the general direction of action for a first player, and said board having second and fourth opposite edge zones so that the direction therebetween can be designated as the general direction of action for a second player;

said board having a plurality of intersecting rows and columns, each intersection of a row and a column defining a unit square, physical interengaging means occupying substantially only two-thirds said plurality of game pieces each being dimensioned substantially equal in lateral extent to three of said unit squares, and each of said game pieces having two unit squares with engaging means thereon and one unit square without an engaging means thereon so that each of said game pieces may be placed on said board with said interengaging means interacting with said engaging means on said game piece and said one unit square without an engaging means thereon being prevented from being placed on a unit square with a physical interengaging means by physical prevention of interaction therebetween so that said pieces may be located in selected locations on said board.

2. A game comprising:

a board and a plurality of playing pieces for use with said board;

said board having a prime playing surface and first and third opposite edge zones, with the direction between said first and third opposite edge zones being designatable as the general direction of action for a first player, and said board having second and fourth opposite edge zones so that the direction therebetween can be designated as the general direction of action for a second player;

said board having a plurality of intersecting rows and said plurality of game pieces each being dimensioned to be substantially the size of three unit squares, each of said game pieces having two holes therethrough in a position corresponding to two of the unit squares thereon so that said game pieces may be located in selected locations on said board with said board posts extending through said game piece holes and each game piece further having one unit square without a hole therethrough, the unit square on said game piece not having a hole therethrough being positioned over the unit square on said board not having a post therein.

3. The game of claim 1 wherein said unit squares of some of said pieces are arranged in line with each other.

4. The game of claim 3 wherein some of said pieces have the locations of said engaging means at the end unit squares thereon and other of said pieces have the locations of said engaging means in the center unit square and in one of the end unit squares.

5. The game of claim 1 wherein said unit squares of some of said pieces are arranged in an L-shape so that the end unit squares are arranged on adjacent sides of the center unit square.

6. The game of claim 5 wherein some of said pieces have the locations of said engaging means at the end unit squares thereon and other of said pieces have the locations of said engaging means in the center unit square and in one of the end unit squares.

7. The game of claim 1 wherein said game board has a substantially flat top prime playing surface, and the locations of said interengaging means on said game board are posts extending upward from said playing surface, and the locations of said engaging means on said playing pieces are openings through said playing pieces so that the playing pieces may be placed upon said posts and engage against said prime playing surface.

8. The game of claim 7 wherein each of said pieces has longitudinal and end flanges, together with a central web extending between said flanges, said holes through said pieces extending through said web. 

1. A game comprising: a board and a plurality of playing pieces for use with said board; said bOard having a prime playing surface and first and third opposite edge zones, with the direction between said first and third opposite edge zones being designatable as the general direction of action for a first player, and said board having second and fourth opposite edge zones so that the direction therebetween can be designated as the general direction of action for a second player; said board having a plurality of intersecting rows and columns, each intersection of a row and a column defining a unit square, physical interengaging means occupying substantially only twothirds said plurality of game pieces each being dimensioned substantially equal in lateral extent to three of said unit squares, and each of said game pieces having two unit squares with engaging means thereon and one unit square without an engaging means thereon so that each of said game pieces may be placed on said board with said interengaging means interacting with said engaging means on said game piece and said one unit square without an engaging means thereon being prevented from being placed on a unit square with a physical interengaging means by physical prevention of interaction therebetween so that said pieces may be located in selected locations on said board.
 2. A game comprising: a board and a plurality of playing pieces for use with said board; said board having a prime playing surface and first and third opposite edge zones, with the direction between said first and third opposite edge zones being designatable as the general direction of action for a first player, and said board having second and fourth opposite edge zones so that the direction therebetween can be designated as the general direction of action for a second player; said board having a plurality of intersecting rows and columns, each intersection of a row and a column defining a unit square, said unit squares on said game board being also arranged in diagonal rows, said diagonal rows being such that two adjacent diagonal rows of unit squares are substantially occupied with posts extending upward from said playing surface, while an adjacent diagonal row has its unit squares substantially unoccupied by posts so that posts extend upwardly from the playing surface in substantially only two-thirds of the unit squares on said game board; said plurality of game pieces each being dimensioned to be substantially the size of three unit squares, each of said game pieces having two holes therethrough in a position corresponding to two of the unit squares thereon so that said game pieces may be located in selected locations on said board with said board posts extending through said game piece holes and each game piece further having one unit square without a hole therethrough, the unit square on said game piece not having a hole therethrough being positioned over the unit square on said board not having a post therein.
 3. The game of claim 1 wherein said unit squares of some of said pieces are arranged in line with each other.
 4. The game of claim 3 wherein some of said pieces have the locations of said engaging means at the end unit squares thereon and other of said pieces have the locations of said engaging means in the center unit square and in one of the end unit squares.
 5. The game of claim 1 wherein said unit squares of some of said pieces are arranged in an L-shape so that the end unit squares are arranged on adjacent sides of the center unit square.
 6. The game of claim 5 wherein some of said pieces have the locations of said engaging means at the end unit squares thereon and other of said pieces have the locations of said engaging means in the center unit square and in one of the end unit squares.
 7. The game of claim 1 wherein said game board has a substantially flat top prime playing surface, and the locations of said interengaging means on said game board are posts extending upward from said playing surface, and the locations of said engaging means on said playing pieces are openings thrOugh said playing pieces so that the playing pieces may be placed upon said posts and engage against said prime playing surface.
 8. The game of claim 7 wherein each of said pieces has longitudinal and end flanges, together with a central web extending between said flanges, said holes through said pieces extending through said web. 